Trials of Life
by FireStorm1991
Summary: You really never know a person until one day you find out you actually did. Despite being friends online, Hiei has a deep hatred for the perky, naïve girl trying to befriend him at his new school. Meanwhile, Botan is dealing with some of the toughest challenges any teenager has to go through, both in life and at school. How long before they realize the truth?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters.

So, what have I been up to lately? Well, between the loss of my father and some other important people in my life, internships, and going to graduate school to get my masters degree, I've been slowly trying to work on my stories. I've been reading a lot of the newer stories lately, and some older ones I was planning on reading, and well, I needed a break from my other favorite fandom.

I've never voiced that much of an opinion, but I prefer Botan X Hiei stories now. Surprising couple, I know, but they work. I have a ton of fanfics about a similar couple in the DBZ fandom, and was thinking up an AU. Normally, my go to would be the DBZ fandom, but right now I feel like focusing on the fandom where I started, plus it fit better with the characters from YYH, and hopefully my writing skills improved as well from my first story :D

Now, I'm not one to write high school fics, and when I do, scenes in school are limited. Besides, I know from my own life as well as many, many other friends' that life outside of high school is where the real action and drama is, and that high school is just an illusion of stability. I'm sure many here could relate to that. However, in this story, high school scenes will actually play a big roll, and there are reasons for that.

Also, note, I'm making up town names in this story…I have no idea where places are. My sense of direction is horrible.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe it's over," a dark-haired, brown-eyed boy whined as he and his friends were walking down the street of their suburban hometown. "I mean, do we have to go in tomorrow."<p>

"Oh Yusuke," a blue-haired girl laughed, her pink eyes reflecting the humor she found in his comment. "Of course we do. It's the first day of senior year!"

"Easy for you to say, Botan," the teenager complained. "You actually _like _school. I just think they should extend break."

A brown-haired girl with eye color similar to the boy pulled Botan close to her and whispered in her ear. "Yeah, because he totally forgot we got out two weeks early with the snow days."

"Oh shut up, Keiko," Yusuke snapped. "You girls are so full of it. Only you two could actually be okay with the end of summer."

Botan wore a smile, though she didn't fully agree with Yusuke's statement. Though the summer had been great, Botan was looking forward to her senior year. She would be taking college courses to place out of classes in college, and it was a chance to prove herself. She knew she was smart and a hard worker, but sometimes there were others that needed convincing, and they made sure she knew that.

It was a beautiful day, hence the reason she and her friends went out for a walk. They all lived just a few roads down from one another and had known each other from a young age. Botan grinned as she remembered their childhood days. Yusuke Urameshi was one of her best friends, his mother and hers meeting a long time ago when they brought their young children to the park. As the two of them grew up, Botan conformed more to society while her best friend developed a hatred towards authority. The two of them, though, were the most similar in the group despite the glaring difference.

Though Yusuke was her best guy friend, Keiko was her best girl friend. She and Yusuke were neighbors, before Keiko's family moved into the house next to Botan's, and she and Botan got to know each other at Yusuke's birthday gatherings. The three of them went to pre-school and grade school together. As they grew older, Botan worked on pushing her two friends together. Always the spitfire, Keiko was the only one who would be able to handle and put up with Yusuke's moods. The two of them had been dating since the end of middle school.

Along with the three of them, their other two friends had joined them on the walk, but had remained quiet in the background with their occasional snickers and chuckles. One of them was the gray-eyed, redhead, Kazuma Kuwabara. For the longest time, he and Yusuke were "enemies." Really, the two of them just enjoyed street fighting and were long-term rivals. Eventually, sometime in middle school, the two of them got involved in a six-on-two fight with some of the high schoolers who had heard about their activities and wanted to snuff them out before they entered high school. After that, the two of them seemed to be a little more brotherly with each other, keeping the rivalry alive without the malice.

Their other friend was another redhead, though the color of his hair was much more vibrant and longer than Kuwabara's, and his eye color was the deepest green any of them had seen. His name was Shuichi Minamino, though his friends usually called him Kurama. No one knew where the nickname had come from, but somehow everyone knew it. He had been pretty popular since he moved to the area at the beginning of high school. His mother was a kind lady, a therapist who had raised her son alone after her husband had passed away. According to Kurama, his mother had moved them there because the school district in the town they had lived was pretty shady and the woman worried for his safety. Their small town was much different, and the school district was rated one of the top in the country. He excelled there, more so than anyone else. Even Keiko and Botan lived in his shadow, though they were never really competing anyway.

This unlikely group of people became fast friends, and they remained friends throughout high school. It didn't mean their group wasn't prone to drama, but that was the norm for a town where everybody knew everybody.

They paused in front of a neatly kept, white house with a colorful garden lighting the front yard. "I believe this is me," Kurama said kindly. "I will see you all tomorrow. And Yusuke…"

The black-haired teen eyed him warily. "Yeah?"

His friend's green eyes twinkled in mirth. "Do try to work on your sour attitude regarding tomorrow. Remember, a friend of mine will be joining us."

"Oh right," Keiko chimed cheerily. "Your mom's case, right?"

"I can't say," Kurama laughed. "I believe I've told you enough as it is. The rest you will have to find out on your own."

As the group said their goodbyes, the three continued on their way and stopped by the remaining houses. Once it was only Botan and Keiko, Keiko started going on and on about Kurama's friend and his sister.

Botan couldn't blame Keiko. They lived in a town where there was never a new face. New people moving the town was very rare. It was hard to believe that in their senior year, they were getting not one, but two new students. Botan, too, was curious, but she had other things to worry about, like her grades. There was always a time where she didn't feel her best was good enough, though her mother would try to convince her otherwise.

"So I'll see you tomorrow then," Keiko said happily as she ran up to her door. "Have a good night, Botan."

Botan forced a small smile and waved. "See ya, Keiko."

* * *

><p>Botan crossed her lawn to the door and let herself in the house, finding it empty. "Mom must have gotten called in again."<p>

It wasn't a surprise to Botan that her mother was called in. Actually, that was expected when someone worked three part-time jobs. Her mother was a part-time nurse and also held jobs teaching and conducting laboratory research at two local community colleges, the term local meaning the one in town and the one about an hour and a half away. Things were tough for the two of them seeing as her mother was a single parent. They did, however, receive some financial support from her father, but it didn't cover everything like he told them it should. The truth was the man would rather have not had to pay anything, so the monthly payment was garnished from his wages. Botan could picture her father counting the days until she turned eighteen, when he would no longer have to assist her, and the day she expected him to stop talking to her completely.

Truth be told, Botan was kind of happy to have the house to herself for the night. It gave her privacy and freedom to do what she wanted before the new school year where she would immerse herself in studying. She threw a freezer meal into the microwave and then went up to her room to change and grab her laptop.

From her bright, summer clothes, she changed into dark blue sweatpants and a black t-shirt with an 80's band logo for Journey plastered on the front. The goal for her last evening before school started would consist of her relaxing and hopefully chatting with a friend online.

She set herself up in the living room with a bowl of ice cream and let the television play in the background as she logged onto her account. The website was a special site where teenagers living in a single-parent household could converse. Back when Botan had been in therapy, the therapist gave her the information for the site. A person could only be given account access by a therapist, so it was a safe place to talk to others dealing with similar situations. Even after Botan decided to stop going to therapy, she still had access to her account. Truthfully, it came to a point where therapy couldn't help her any longer. Most of what she was feeling would have to be sorted out in her own time.

She signed onto her account and searched her friend list to see if the guy she had been talking to was online. He had told her about a week ago that he, his mother, and his sister were moving in with his mother's new boyfriend. He had expressed serious distaste with the living arrangements and had told her he may not be on the day of the move, most likely because he didn't want her to see his temper which he had warned her he was famous for. Botan didn't mind, though. She understood having a temper, though her friends didn't know she could ever be angry with anyone. They didn't know the full story of what went on in her life, and she honestly wanted to keep it that way. There was no sense in dragging her friends down with her.

That's why she liked talking to this guy on the site. They could understand each other and not question each other's actions. If Botan was mad and started ranting about her father, this guy would offer his dark humor to make her laugh. If she acted that way around her friends, well, they wouldn't expect it at all. Around them she was bubbly all the time, but underneath it all she was struggling. She didn't want to be the one to tell them that.

As the site loaded up she saw that he friend was in fact offline, which she had expected. She decided to check her e-mail, but she had nothing new at the moment. It was then she thought about doing something else, a task she never looked forward to.

_I should call him, _she thought to herself. _I know I normally call the first day, but I should at least get it over with._

Botan took out her cell phone and went to the number she always dreaded calling. It had never used to be like this in the past. Truthfully, Botan had always looked forward to talking with her father, but then he stopped contacting her when she turned sixteen. It would always be her to contact him first, and then if he felt like it he would call her back weeks later. Normally, that didn't happen and she considered her call ignored. Her mother always tried to reassure her that her fear was misguided, her fear that the day she turned eighteen and he didn't have to pay anymore she would never hear from him again. That thought pained her, but it was what she was expecting.

"_Leave a message after the beep…"_

_Of course, _Botan muttered in her head as the tone went off. "Hey dad, it's me. I just wanted to call you before my first day as a senior. I guess I'll speak to you later. …Bye."

It took all she had to not throw the phone across the room after she hung up. She didn't understand why he always had to ignore her. Everything, including contact, always had to be on his terms. It wasn't something she liked to admit, but it was the truth. She was starting to get sick of it.

It was then Botan realized what was playing on the television. It was some action movie that she didn't really care for, so she changed it to the 80's rock music channel and let herself drown in the songs before returning to her computer. She was surprised that this time she saw her friend's username, pyromania12, appear in bold letters on the screen. A smile formed on her features as she opened a new chat.

_Hey, _she greeted. _I didn't expect to see you on today._

It took a moment before he responded. _I needed a break, _he told her. _This day has been hell._

_I'll bet. Moving's always tough._

_It wasn't the move, _the boy responded. _It's where we're moving to. I hate this guy._

Botan frowned when she read the message. The two of them had been talking for a while. Like Botan's father, this guy's father had abandoned his mother when she was pregnant, but unlike Botan and her mother, they never found him again. The guy always said it was for the best because he father sounded like a terrible person, which she could totally relate to, but it was even worse on his mother. Yes, Botan's family wasn't the most accepting of her mother's situation, but they still loved them. This guy's family abandoned his mother when she needed them. For the longest time, they stayed with their mother's friend who was like a second mother to the guy and his sister. Eventually, though, his mother started dating a shark, and now they were living with him. "Pyro" did not like the guy at all.

_Don't worry, _she wrote to him. _I'm sure it'll get better._

_I don't see how, _her friend replied. _He's obviously using my mother, and the creep always goes after my sister. The only good thing about this is that my room is next to hers, and the doors lock from the inside, which isn't too bad. I swear, though, if he makes either of them cry again…_

_Just be careful, Pyro, _Botan pleaded. She then decided to change the subject to a more lighthearted one. _So, when does school start for you?_

_Tomorrow, _he answered. _I hope the education system in this hick town is decent. I came from a pretty crappy one._

_It might be, _Botan told him. _I know in the town I live in that the school system is amazing for a small town, though we're pretty lucky._

_Truthfully, I wish I was wherever you were,_ he told her. _At least it would make things more tolerable._

Botan giggled at the compliment. _It won't be that bad. Try to be positive._

"Pyro" didn't seem to be responding to that as all of his typing ceased, but after a few minutes he began to write another message, and like her own friends, it was a change of subject when someone didn't want to dwell on a topic.

_So, rocker girl, _he teased making a pun on her screen name, 80rockgrl, _I hear there's going to be a Bon Jovi concert in East Brooke next week._

Botan was surprised, mostly because she recognized the town name, and the town wasn't too far away from her. _Hey, that's not too far from where I live, about twenty minutes away._

_That's about the same distance to where I just moved, _Pyro told her.

_We must not live too far away from each other, _Botan typed while smiling. It made her happy knowing she lived so close to her online friend.

_Maybe we can meet up at the concert_, he suggested.

_I would, _Botan replied while biting her lip, _but I highly doubt my mom can afford the ticket._

_I'll take care of that, _he told her. _I have a lot of money left from my last job. I'll just have them hold your ticket at the front. I'll have it labeled for "Rocker Girl."_

_You really don't have to do that._

_Quiet, _he ordered. _I want to. I think a concert would be a great place for us to meet up._

Botan smiled at the screen. _Well, how can I say no to that?_

_You can't._

_Oh, be quiet._

On the other side of the conversation, a teenaged boy with spiky, black hair and red eyes chuckled at the childishness of the girl he was speaking to. He was just about to type a reply when he heard his mother calling him.

"Hiei? Are you okay? You've been up there a long time," his mother, Hina, called to him.

The teen sighed and turned back to his computer. _Sorry to cut this short, _he wrote, _but my mother is calling me down._

_That's okay, _"Rocker Girl" replied. _I just finished my ice cream, and I should probably eat dinner._

Hiei smirked. _Dessert before dinner. I like it._

_Hey, have a good day at school tomorrow, _he read. _And just try to think positive, okay?_

_Yeah, _he answered. _Night._

_Goodnight, Pyro._

Hiei closed his laptop and sighed in frustration. Leave it to his mother to call him out on his absence. If he didn't leave the safety of his room, she would come up to get him and then she would feel guiltier for irritating him. He always tried to hide it, but his distaste in their situation could never truly be erased.

What was their situation? Well, that was a loaded question.

After his father had left his mother to fend for herself with twins, his mother's family called her a disgrace. Honestly, they would have accepted them in, but Hiei looked so much like his father that his grandmother gave his mother an ultimatum. She was to give him up for closed adoption and never see him again. She didn't give in, but instead moved in with her friend from college. The woman had just given birth herself, and she and her husband were perfectly happy to help them. His mother had taken on the chores of the house as well as babysitting to pay back their hospitality, and her friend's husband was kind enough to give her money for the services they continued to tell her she didn't need to do.

Their mother's friend, Shiori, had graduated in psychology and opened a small practice in the town. Once open, Shiori took his mother in as a client. She even worked with him and his sister, Yukina, as they got older. She was someone who was easy to confide in, but Hiei still refused to open up too much. Like his mother, her son, Shuichi, had the knack for listening to problems and providing guidance. Hiei had always called him by a nickname, Kurama, that the red-haired boy liked and promised to keep in mind for the future. The two of them were good friends, and everything was great for the longest time.

And then Kurama's father passed away and sent his mother into a spiraling depression that caused her to have a severe illness. There was enough money that Shiori and Kurama inherited from his father's passing, as well as the house, but once Shiori had recovered, she could only apologize to her friend. She couldn't live in the town anymore. After selling her practice, she decided that she and her son would move to a small town and start a new life. The town wasn't insanely far away, so they could still continue with the therapy, and Shiori did something for his mother that Hiei would never forget.

She gave them the house. All that they needed was for his mother to find a job, and in that town it was next to impossible.

The only work available were at the local strip clubs, though his mother simply worked as a bartender, and nothing more. She still had to deal with the men that passed through all the time, and that was how she met the current bane of her son's existence.

Tarukane.

Tarukane was a gangster and a thug, but his crimes could never be proven. How his mother got involved with him, Hiei didn't know. He knew his mother didn't love the gangster, but yet she decided they should leave town with him and move in with him. She had, of course, run the idea by Shiori, since the house was originally hers, but Shiori supported her and told her it was okay if she sold the house.

But Shiori didn't know what went on around Tarukane. His mother had only told her the supposed "good things" about the man, and definitely didn't include the fact that he may have been in the mob. Whenever Hiei said anything like that, it would result in him getting grounded. Yukina was the one who suffered the most. Tarukane would berate her and tear her apart, screwing with her self-esteem. He would push the girl aside if she got in his way, and whenever Hiei was in his way, well, his mother wouldn't see him for the rest of the day because he would be nursing a headache. Neither Yukina nor Hiei told their mother, but Yukina's reasoning was different than Hiei's. She thought their mother was truly happy with the man. Hiei knew better, and the reason he kept quiet was because he knew it would cause more trouble for his mother. Where they were living with him, Hiei knew Tarukane had to be controlling his mother somehow, and he hated it, but he couldn't prove anything.

After his mother sold the house, she put the money into trusts for him and Yukina to have access to when they went off to college. Then they came to a small town, one where Shiori and her son had moved to. Ironically enough, Tarukane's business was moving to the small town, and he had found a large house, almost the size of a mansion, and had offered Hina a place for her and her children to live, provided she become his girlfriend.

Apparently the offer was too good for her to refuse.

Hiei slammed his door shut and descended the stairs. His mother was waiting on the bottom with sad eyes. Hiei stuffed his hands in his pockets, avoiding contact with the chained decorations of his black pants. He sighed when his mother's expression didn't change. "Mother, don't look at me like that," he said. "I needed a break from bringing boxes in."

"The movers finished that, sweetie," his mother replied. "Please, come sit with us in the living room. Your sister and I are going to watch a movie."

Hiei's eyes narrowed slightly. "Is _HE _still here?" he asked bitterly.

Hina sighed and shook her head. "I really wish you would give him a chance, son," she murmured. "He left for work, so please just stay down here with us."

"Fine," her son replied before walking passed her. Yukina smiled when she saw her brother. Hina watched as her son sat down on the couch and placed his hands behind his head. To face the television, Yukina used him as her cushion. The two smiled at each other, and that always warmed her heart. She always knew when she saw them together that she had made the right choice in going against her family. It also made her believe that the choices she was making now were good for her two children. She only hoped that Hiei would learn to adjust. Maybe once he started school with his old friend, he would be able to handle it so much better, but at the same time, the woman didn't truly know about the man she had brought into her children's lives.

* * *

><p>AN: So that's it for chapter one. I have a couple more chapters written; however, I'm not going by any update schedule. My updating will continue to be sporadic until I can get myself into a rhythm. I thank everyone for their patience and understanding while I make these transitions. Let me know what you thought of the chapter. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters

Hey everyone :D I got some great feedback on the first chapter and decided it was time to update. I'm currently working on Chapter 4, though the majority of the story is planned out and playing scenes through my head daily. I really need to get busy with the writing...

Anyways, enjoy!

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><p>It was the day Botan had been waiting for, but for some reason her alarm hadn't gone off. Thankfully, she had gotten up early enough and found that she was still on the couch. The television was off, her laptop was on the coffee table, and she was covered by a blanket. The girl smiled as she realized that her mother must have let her sleep in the living room, and that she did have plenty of time to get ready since her mother would never let her sleep through her first day of class.<p>

She could both hear and smell breakfast cooking, which lured her out of bed. When she made it to the kitchen, she could hear her mother laughing. Her bedhead must have been really bad that morning, but she had slept on the couch so that was expected.

"I hope you slept well," her mother said softly. "You looked so peaceful; I didn't want to wake you."

Botan stretched out her sore muscles and then smiled. "Yeah, I slept well." She looked over to the clock. "How long before breakfast is done? I need to go get ready for school."

"Oh!" her mother exclaimed before putting her spatula off to the side. She pulled Botan into a hug. Botan's brow quirked in confusion. "My little baby is growing up so fast. I still remember the day I could finally see you…and now you're a senior in high school."

"Mom," Botan laughed while prying herself out of her mother's grip, "where I love a good trip down memory lane, I really need to get showered and changed. I slept way longer than I should have."

"Fine, fine," her mother replied, "but Botan…"

"Yeah?"

"You don't need to be up and ready three hours before you leave for school. It's not that far away."

Botan knew her mother had a point, but she usually used that extra time to get more work done if she could. It probably wasn't the healthiest thing, especially during the year when homework already kept her up until the early hours of the morning, but she didn't think she could change herself this late in the game. Plus, her mother usually had to go to work early. "Right."

Choosing what to wear was difficult. Since it was the first day of school, Botan knew she had to somewhat dress up. If she tried to weasel out of it Keiko would have her head. She ended up settling for a light pink blouse and a white skirt that cut off above her knees. Now, normally Botan wasn't one for bright colors, or pink, but there were occasions where she didn't mind being girly. The first day of school was one of them, and she always went all out.

She quickly applied some light makeup and chose to wear a necklace of a silver globe. She quickly got into her white sandals and grabbed both her backpack and large handbag. Her next activity would be watching television until she needed to meet Keiko and they'd walk to school together.

* * *

><p>It was just another day, and yet somehow she knew it would be different.<p>

Hiei glared at his outfit. His mother had bought him clothes for the first day of school, and it was not something he would be caught dead wearing. It was business casual, khaki pants and a deep, dark red button-down shirt. _She has got to be joking, _his thoughts said, though he knew it wasn't true. He didn't care what she picked out, though, as he tossed the clothes aside and went for a pair of black pants and a light blue tank top. He knew his mother wasn't a fan of his almost colorless wardrobe, but he was not letting her take it away from him. She already had put them all in a crappy situation when she accepted Tarukane's invitation. They had been perfectly fine before this entire mess, or at least that was what Hiei told himself.

"Hiei?" his sister called softly as she knocked on his door. "You need to come down for breakfast. Shuichi will be here soon to show us the way to school."

Hiei sighed in frustration, but went to answer the door. He found his sister standing there in a teal dress, her hair pulled back the way she usually did. He always admired her natural beauty that came off with her innocence, but he always hated when she dressed up. Every time he did, he ended up in detention after beating some of the guys at their school for attempting to get with her. She never knew their full intentions, but Hiei had heard it enough in the locker room or from his classmates. It was another reason he was happy they were out of that school, though he didn't expect this one to be any different.

"I'm not hungry," Hiei told her, though he was lying. He knew Tarukane was at the table, and he'd rather hold off until lunch than sit and dine at the bastard's table. He turned away from her to shuffle stuff around on his desk to appear like he had other things to do.

He heard his sister sigh. "Please, Hiei," she pleaded. "I don't want you to make yourself sick again just because you're avoiding him. Mother worries, and so do I."

The teen bit back a slightly insulting retort. He loved his mother and sister very much, but they were always so overbearing. If he wanted to skip a meal, then it was his own business. If he got sick, he'd deal. He wasn't a child, and he refused to let either of them treat him like one.

"Fine," he grumbled as he threw his backpack over his shoulder. He glanced in her direction, and then said softly, "Let's go."

* * *

><p>Hiei could hear the voice of the man he detested, clearly amused by something, all the way from the staircase. The teenager sneered and clutched the strap of his schoolbag tighter. Yukina didn't seem to notice as she led him into the kitchen. When they got there, Hiei could see his mother preparing breakfast while their host was on the phone.<p>

"Ha ha ha," he laughed his moronic laugh. "You say he actually begged? How the mighty have fallen. You know what to do with guys that don't pay. Yeah. Call me when it's done."

Well, that didn't sound like a hit at all.

Sometimes Hiei really couldn't understand how his mother could allow her children to be around a mobster like Tarukane. If he ever commented on it, though, Hina would defend him and pretty much say he was only hearing what he wanted to hear, that Tarukane was a legit businessman. It sucked that he really had her snowed.

"Ah, Hiei," Tarukane greeted smugly. "Look who finally decided to join us."

Hiei's lip curled back in a sneer before he hardened his expression and took a seat at the table. He looked directly into his dish, his armed crossed as he leaned against the table. His mother turned to bring plates of food to the table. There was a smile on her face until she took in the sight of her son. "Hiei, why aren't you wearing the clothes I bought you?"

Normally, Hiei would be honest with his mother, when they were in private. His eyes quickly flashed to Tarukane before he closed them and shrugged. He heard his mother sigh, but was angered when he heard the mobster's boisterous laugh. "Boy will be boys, yeah?" he teased ruffling Hiei's hard, though, unbeknownst to his mother, Tarukane was gripping Hiei's head a little to forcefully for the teenager's liking. Yukina seemed to be the only one to notice her brother cringing and trying to move away from her mother's boyfriend.

"Oh!" she called out. "I just remembered. Hiei, I need your help with something in my room. Can you help me quick before we eat?"

Hiei understood what Yukina was doing. Just as he would protect her, she would protect him. He was able to push Tarukane's hand away as he stood up. "Sure."

The two of them left the room leaving Hina confused. Tarukane just chuckled. "It's good he at least helps out." He waited for Hina to put his plate of food in front of him before she sat in the chair next to him. "So, my dear, what are you doing today?"

Hina flashed him an awkward smile and, like her son, shrugged. Truthfully, she planned to catch up with Shiori later while the kids were at school and Tarukane was at the office. There was quite a lot she needed to talk to her friend about.

* * *

><p>Tarukane was off to his business place when Hiei and Yukina returned to the kitchen to eat, and shortly after there was a knock on the door. "Shuichi, it's so good to see you," Hina greeted as she let the boy in. The redhead simply smiled and looked around the house, eyes widening in surprise at how large the living space was.<p>

Yukina rushed over to the redhead and threw her arms around him for a hug. "We missed you!" she said happily. "How have you been?"

"I've been well," Kurama replied looking over to his best friend with a smile. "What about you two?"

"Fine," Hiei replied, though his eyes told a different story. He got up from the table and put his and his sister's empty dishes in the sink before grabbing both of their bags. Yukina smiled and took hers from him, and the two of them followed Kurama out of the house.

"Have a good first day, you two," Hina said as she waved them off.

"We will," the twins said simultaneously, though Yukina's response was genuine and Hiei's was grumbled.

Kurama chuckled and shook his head as they left the house. "You haven't changed a bit, have you?"

A smirk appeared on his friend's face as he said, "You don't want me to answer that."

"Wow, you look great today, Botan!" Keiko exclaimed excitedly. "Doesn't she boys?"

Kuwabara chuckled nervously and nodded his agreement. Yusuke just rolled his eyes. It was no secret in their little group that Kuwabara had had a crush on Botan in middle school, but it was just that. Still, he was usually too shy to comment on her wardrobe whenever Keiko brought it up. Honestly, it always felt like he knew something they didn't when it came to her choice of outfits, but no one ever really asked him about it.

"We don't need to drag more attention to me, Keiko," Botan huffed indignantly. "So, do you think we'll run into Kurama and his friends?"

"Probably not," Kuwabara returned. "He said they needed to go in early to get their class schedules and figure out where everything is. We probably won't see anyone until lunch unless we happen to be in the same classes."

Botan nodded and left it at that. She spent the rest of the walk smiling and nodding to everything going on around her, laughing occasionally at her friends' antics. Truthfully, though, she felt pretty exhausted, and soon she'd be even worse off throwing herself into school. It was best for her to play off her nerves, or else she'd be bombarded with questions. She didn't want her friends to know what was going on.

So what was going on? Botan didn't even know anymore. It started when she was little and actually met her father. Somehow, her mother found him, and from day one the man lied to his daughter. Her mother always raised her not to lie, and then she had to call him out on it. After that, the relationship that could have been was shattered. It wasn't her fault, though. She had only been eight years old. He couldn't carry a grudge for almost a decade, right?

But he could, because that's what he was doing. They had still talked, and Botan would give her father detailed reports weekly of everything going on. She was young at the time, so there wasn't much to tell. She never wanted to voice her feelings, but truthfully she wanted him to be there for her more. He never came to school functions, and he never came to her birthday. Yes, he had lived far away, but she wanted to see him. She wanted to feel like her father truly cared and wasn't just saying words to appease her.

He also carried a grudge towards the rest of his family. Her grandparents had become an integral part of her life, and her father didn't like that. He never wanted her to go to family functions outside of the immediate family and, in his mind, she could only go if he took her. But he never took her. She found out about important family events from her grandparents, important traditions from her uncle, and she wanted to be a part of it. They were her family, and she loved them as much as they loved her. She had missed out on eight years of memories, and she wasn't going to waste any more time.

That's when her father stopped talking to her, not before calling her manipulative and saying she held no respect for him.

He stopped calling her, and then reached out to her sending flowers for her sixteenth birthday. She was so excited when she got them and called him right away to tell him he could still come to her birthday, not that she had uninvited him, but she didn't want him to feel like the fight was lingering between them. He continued to ignore her calls. She tried to talk to him every day, but the phone kept ringing until she was forced to either leave another message, which she assumed would annoy him, or hang up and accept defeat. The worst part was it hadn't gotten any better between them. He was still ignoring her, and she was still trying. There were a few times in between, though, where they had talked, but it was either distant because he wouldn't really talk to her, and she was afraid to trust him. He continued to hurt her, especially when he came out one time and told her that he refused to deal with her emotional outbursts because he didn't like them. He told her he didn't have to put up with her, and when she said he did because he was her father, he darkly said, "I really don't."

Botan wouldn't even be an emotional wreck if he would just talk to her kindly and not attack her character all the time. Nothing she did was ever right for him, which is why she put all of her energy into being the best she could be at everything she did. Getting low grades dampened her spirit, even when her mother assured her that it was okay since she did her best and it was only one test grade. Her mother was always proud of her, but Botan convinced herself that if she brought home news that could even slightly make her mother disappointed in her that her mother's pride in her would disappear. It wasn't a justified thought, but she couldn't help it.

The only two people who knew any of this, other than the therapist she went to way back in the beginning, were her mother and Pyro. Her mother didn't even know the true extent of her feelings because Botan didn't want to worry her or stress her out. She had enough stress working three jobs. Some of the people her mother worked with made the woman even more stressed. Talking to Pyro always helped, though, so Botan believed she could handle it. She was stronger than that, or at least Pyro had told her that once when she went down the road of self-pity. She still remembered the speech he typed to her explaining why she was better than her father ever could be. She didn't even know the guy in real life, and he was already so proud of her. The concert couldn't come quick enough.

As she smiled at the thought of the concert and meeting her online friend, they came up to the school. "Take it in, guys," Yusuke had said, surprising everyone. "We only have one more year of this hellhole."

Botan laughed as Keiko reprimanded her boyfriend. It was certainly going to be an interesting year.

* * *

><p>Botan was sad to find out that she only had lunch and gym with her friends, though she was unsure about Kurama's schedule. She hoped she'd be in similar classes to him. She, Keiko, and Kurama always took AP or honors classes, and this year was no different, but her schedule differed from Keiko's because of electives. The electives were only offered at certain periods and, unfortunately, she shared no electives with her highly artistic friend. She definitely wasn't going to take wood shop with Kuwabara and Yusuke.<p>

She looked around her homeroom class when she got in and saw many familiar faces of students she rarely ever spoke to. They were all catching up with their friends about the summer break and interesting trips they took. If people got out of town in the summer, everyone wanted to know the stories. The one thing out of the ordinary was a new face, a boy she never saw. Her expression livened up. He had to be Kurama's old friend. Giving up her normal front seat, she decided to sit next to the boy who was glaring at his desk.

"Hi," she greeted cheerily. He flashed dark eyes to her, silently asking what she wanted. "My name is Botan. I'm one of Kurama's friends. You must be his friend. Hiei, right?"

Hiei's glare hardened when the bubbly girl used his nickname for Shuichi. He figured that Kurama had told his friends to call him that, but it still felt weird to him. Who was this girl, and why was she so happy? Also, why the hell was she talking to him? Did she not understand the subtle social cues of his brooding? He wanted to be left alone.

"Go away."

Botan's face fell and shock replaced her cheeriness before the smile reappeared and she giggled. "You're messing with me now, huh? Well, Hiei, it's great to meet you. If you need any help navigating around the school or need help with classes, I'm your girl."

"I have Kurama for that," Hiei shot her down. "He already showed me this place. I don't need, nor do I want, your help."

Botan was about to retort when the bell rang and the teacher came into the classroom. It kind of shocked her, the way he spoke to her, but maybe it was just because it was his first day and he was new. Botan remembered when she was new. Yes, she had been in the town nearly all of her life, but her mother had moved them there when she started kindergarten, and the kids who knew each other in pre-school really stuck together. Botan was the outsider then, and the other kids were too young at the time to be interested in strangers instead of shunning them. If it hadn't been for meeting Yusuke at the park, the boy who didn't go with the crowd, she most likely wouldn't have had any friends in her present. A smile adorned her features. She wouldn't let that happen to Hiei. Yes, he had Kurama, but she would be there for him too. Hopefully his sour mood would leave him after he adjusted to the school.

* * *

><p>By the time lunch came around, Botan had already gotten the shock of her life. Hiei was in almost every single one of her classes. The only class that differed from her schedule was that Botan took music theory and Hiei took some other elective. They were even in AP Biology together, and that class took place right before lunch. She helped guide him to the cafeteria, trying to engage him in conversation. She even tried to ask what his chosen elective had been, but he remained silent. Botan tried not to feel dejected at being ignored, but it did tear at her slightly.<p>

Meanwhile, Hiei was getting frustrated. He had just wanted to get through the first day of school without being bothered, yet this Botan girl had no respect for boundaries. She even questioned him about how he felt about the area, if the move went okay, and what he personal choice of a class was. Truthfully, that one marital arts class he had settled for taking happened to be the one reprieve he seemed to have with this girl. He still had three classes to go after lunch and, unfortunately for him, he had yet another two classes with her, gym and band. He couldn't catch a break.

At lunch, Botan led Hiei to the table Kurama always sat at, and he was surprised to see it already full. Kurama and Botan took the time to introduce him their friends, Yusuke Urameshi, Kazuma Kuwabara, and Keiko Yukimura. They all annoyed him somehow.

He saw a pile of books on the table at an empty spot and looked to Kurama questioningly. His friend just smiled and said, "Yukina had AP Chemistry with me and Kuwabara. She's already getting her lunch."

"Hn," Hiei grunted out before he dropped his books on the table, a loud noise resounding, and left to hit the lunch line.

When he was out of earshot, Kuwabara frowned and watched him. "What's with his attitude?" he snapped. "He acted like he was superior to us all and pretty much ignored everyone. You sure that guy's your friend?"

Kurama chuckled and shook his head. "Hiei has always been like that. I know how to read him. He's not exactly happy being moved her for his senior year."

"I can understand that," Yusuke said leaning back in his chair. "I mean new place, new people, last year. It would be hard for anyone to move to any town, but he came _here_. You remember how tough it was your first year here, Kurama."

Kurama hadn't really had a tough year, but it was also the year his mother got sick. Botan's mother happened upon her since she was her assigned nurse. When she had learned she had a son, she made sure that everyone she knew and had befriended, Yusuke's, Keiko's, and Kuwabara's families, could help care for Shuichi while his mother recovered as well as getting the boy to school and keeping the house clean. Kids had been a little curious about him, but their middle school had been very cliquey, and Kurama didn't really fit in any of the cliques. So he joined their group of kids who met by happenstance. He never really had a complaint about being "the new kid."

The redhead's expression darkened, but only Botan noticed before a forced smile appeared on Kurama's face. Having been one to act that way herself, she could read the signs. "It's different for Hiei. I cannot say more than that."

"Way to be cryptic," Yusuke teased the same time Kuwabara grumbled out the same words.

* * *

><p>After lunch, everyone met up in gym, which didn't have much going on for the first day save for locker assignments and signing up for activities for the year. Then, once again, everyone went their separate ways for electives. Then they would see each other after school.<p>

Botan had been looking forward to band all day. Music had always been her outlet when she was stressed, which is why all of her electives focused on music. She thought it would help her in the long-run especially since good grades in music classes would be easily attainable. Besides, her old therapist always said she needed to incorporate an outlet into her daily life.

Another thing that made this band class better was that Hiei was also in the class. She had overseen the rest of his schedule when he was looking up his next classes. She tried to find out what instrument he played, but he never answered her. No, she would have to see him in action.

Hiei got himself settled in the band room. Truthfully, he hated band class, but only because he couldn't play the drums the way he wanted to, unrestricted. Even at that, he only played the drums because Shiori recommended it to him after his mother forced him into therapy. She had suggested the martial arts, too, both so that he could get out his aggression. He understood the concept, but he would have rather just stuck to martial arts. Still, he needed another elective and it was either band or home economics. He didn't want a class where they taught students to "be a family" when most of them would fail in the real world anyway.

He wasn't shocked to see Botan there since she had chattered on about her schedule when she saw his, nor was he surprised to see her playing something so sterotypical and bland, the flute. She probably played it since it mimicked her light and upbeat nature. It sickened him.

Hiei was thankful when they barely did anything and packed up quickly. He paused at the door when he heard the teacher talking to the girl of his annoyance. "I was surprised to see you switched from the sax over to flute," the teacher said. "Why the change?" Hiei was stunned to hear that Botan could play the sax, but he mentally scoffed at his own thoughts. What did he care, anyway?

"Oh," Botan had replied hesitantly, "well, I just wanted a change." Hiei picked up on the falter in her voice, but thought nothing of it. He just went on to his next class. One more period until he was done with the first day of hell.

* * *

><p>The first thing Botan did when she came home was grab a snack, a nice big bowl of cheese puffs and soda, before heading up to her room. She went straight for her computer since she didn't have any homework and saw that "Pyro" was online.<p>

_So how was the first day? _she asked him. It surprised her when she got an instant response, almost as if he had been waiting for her.

_Unbearable, _he admitted. _My old friend had this one friend that would not take the hint. She wouldn't leave me alone all day._

Botan chuckled and shook her head. _Maybe she was trying to be welcoming. You are the new kid in school._

_I know, _"Pyro" responded, _but I wanted to be left alone. I already had a bad morning. That bastard tried to crush my skull._

_Are you okay? _Hiei read on his screen. He didn't know how to answer that without being honest, which wasn't as big a deal when he talked to "Rocker Girl." For some reason, she was easy to talk to. She was the perfect blend of optimism and realism, definitely not like that oblivious girl who was friends with Kurama.

_Not really, _he answered after a while. _That creep is stronger than he looks. I've had a headache most of the day, but more from stress than anything else. _He didn't really want to talk about his problems anymore, so he asked about hers. _What about you? How was your first day?_

_Not too bad, _"Rocker Girl" told him. _I tried to befriend this new guy, but he didn't seem too interested. I think I made him hate me more than anything else._

_Who could hate you? _Hiei was genuinely surprised when he read the words. He didn't understand how anyone could hate someone who had been through as much as she had. She was so friendly and down to earth.

_Well, my father for one... _she replied. _I tried to call him yesterday, left a message, and still nothing. I'm starting to get tired of it all. Sometimes I don't know why I even bother. It always leaves me feeling anxious. If he answers, I worry about what to say so that he doesn't belittle me or make me feel bad, and when he doesn't answer, I just feel ignored and unimportant._

Hiei frowned and nodded when he read her response. This was not the first time he had heard about her father's treatment of her. He remembered every word she had told him that her father had said to her. She was continuously trying to make things work between them, but her father continued to blame her for his own shortcomings and made her feel less of herself. He had tried to convince her that he wasn't worth it, but "Rocker Girl" loved her father, and she also loved her little half-brother. She always talked about the letters she sent to him since she could never see him.

_You've been to good to him, _Hiei typed. _He doesn't deserve these second chances you give him. Just stop contacting him and see what happens._

_He'll just turn it around on me. _Hiei could almost sense her sadness. _If I ever do something he deems wrong, he always twists my words or actions. I sang a song playing on the radio once and he asked if that's how I felt about our relationship because I sang it with so much emotion or passion or whatever that it had to be what I felt. I don't know if he really believed that or if he was just trying to make me feel bad._

Hiei's lips curled back into a sneer. _Moron, _he wrote. _Making something out of nothing. You're better off without him. I know he's your dad and that you love him, but this isn't good for you._

_But I want things to work out_, was the response he got before his mother called him down for dinner.

_I know_, he answered. _I just got called down for dinner. I'll be back on after. This discussion is far from over._

It took a minute for him to get a response, but he waited. _Thanks, Pyro, for caring I mean._

He quickly responded before leaving his room. _Anytime._


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters.

Thank you to everyone reading and reviewing this story. I'm really happy with the feedback I've been getting. :D

* * *

><p>The first week of classes was fairly uneventful at the small-town high school. Botan still continued to try and become friends with Hiei while Hiei kept his distance. They continued to talk to one another as "Pyro" and "Rocker Girl," but still had no idea they knew each other in real life.<p>

It had already been one week into the new year, and now projects were being assigned in most classes. Botan was one of the few who didn't mind. She enjoyed doing biology projects more than simply taking down basic definition copying and answering study guide questions. She could live without essay writing in English, though.

She was prepared to work on her own for projects. She was prepared to drown herself in schoolwork. What she wasn't prepared for was the teacher assigning lab/project partners, and she definitely didn't expect to be paired up with Hiei. Even better, the partners the teacher assigned couldn't be changed for the whole year. A grin appeared on Botan's face. She wouldn't have minded doing the work alone, but she was given an even better opportunity. It meant she and Hiei would have to meet outside of school a lot. It was the perfect way to get to know Hiei, and maybe he would feel more open and at ease outside of school.

_Oh great, _Hiei thought bitterly. It was just his luck that the teacher expected him to work with Miss Delusional Optimist for the entire year. He knew he couldn't avoid her at school, but now he would have to endure her bubbliness during what he assumed was his only reprieve.

"So, by the end of the week, I want project ideas analyzed summary regarding the topic, three pages."

Many groans chorused through the class save from Hiei and Botan. He rolled his eyes at his classmates. At least they hadn't been paired with Botan. The paper would be cake compared to that.

As the bell rang dismissing class, Botan chattered on about the assignment. "Since the paper is due next Wednesday and I have plans tomorrow after school, I figured we could meet tonight at one of our places. Yours, maybe?"

Hiei wasn't offended by the offer. She sounded genuinely concerned about making him feel comfortable. Still, he froze when she asked about meeting at his place. He may have hated her, but he would never expose anyone he liked or hated to Tarukane and his situation. Being on the man's radar sometimes seemed like a fate worse than death. He only hoped his mother would see reason. Until then he needed to keep everyone away from that house.

"Your place," he grumbled out. When he saw her questioning gaze, he glared. "What? Do you have a problem with that?"

A soft and understanding smile appeared on Botan's face as she put a hand on his shoulder. His eyes flashed to the hand before he narrowed them and half-looked at her. "Not at all, Hiei," she cooed before he pulled himself from her grasp and walked away.

He had never been so uncomfortable in his life.

"Hey," he heard someone call out. It made him look back into the room. Botan was gathering her books and was surrounded by a few students, a heavyset girl and two muscular guys.

"Can I help you?" Botan questioned, her voice unwavering.

"Yeah," the girl replied. Hiei recognized her now. That girl sat behind him, diagonal from Botan. "You can 'help' me and my partner with our project. Make it great. We expect an A from you."

"Hiei and I have our own project to work on," Botan countered. "You and your partner will have to work on it together. I can't help you."

Hiei didn't care about her drama dealings with other classmates that also didn't matter to him. He left before he could hear anymore than what he had. He figured that dealing with ordinary bullies would give the girl a taste of the real world and some backbone. He never heard the girl tell Botan that she was "stupid anyway," and that "this was why no one liked or cared about her." But he wouldn't have responded to that, anyway, even though it left Botan feeling down on herself.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you're meeting a stranger you met online at a concert," Kuwabara criticized as he and Botan were jogging together at gym. "It's a good thing I've got a ticket too. You seriously should have told the others."<p>

Botan frowned. "I told my mom," she said, "and I told her you were going too so she was okay with it. I don't want the others to know I like rock music or dressing 'like a boy.'"

"Oh come on, Botan," Kuwabara grumbled. "That was seventh grade. I bet Ruka feels really bad about it now."

Botan shook her head. Ruka had been a friend of hers in middle school. She was a trouble child, but Botan had seen a quality in her that she liked. Ruka was easy to talk to and gave Botan a slightly rebellious edge. Though she was more of an acquaintance, Botan had seen her as a friend and trusted her with more information about her likes than other people who didn't know her. She was one of the few people with whom Botan had shared her favorite music, shows, and wardrobe. The girl had even told her how cool she looked in her grungy wardrobe. Botan had felt so proud of herself to gain her friend's approval.

Then one day, at middle grades music practice, she had brought attention to everyone that she was a tom-boy. It wouldn't have been as bad if the guys hadn't started to push her around more or girls hadn't called her a boy and tormented her when they had to change in the locker room. They all looked down on her, and even Botan's friends couldn't figure out why.

Keiko hadn't been in the same gym class that year, and Botan never told her what happened during her time in the locker room. Yusuke had seen some of the guys getting rough with her and had stepped in. After the guys eased up, the girls did as well, but they still snickered every time they all changed for gym and continued to say things behind her back, even in high school. It was starting to make her feel even more self-conscience.

Kuwabara was the only friend she had that had known the likes she kept hidden. He had actually found out by accident when the two of them ran into each other at a Megallica concert freshman year. Since then, he remained the only friend who knew about stuff she liked. Still, he tried to convince her to be herself, especially around the others in their group. She knew her real friends would stick by her, but there was only one more year of needing to hide who she was. It was easier that way.

"Please spare me," Botan sighed. "Ruka isn't sorry. Just because she's a little heavier doesn't mean she's more humble. She was just demanding I do her and her partner's biology project." She looked away from the redhead. "Besides, it's just better fitting in. I don't want any trouble."

"If you say so..."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Hiei and Kurama were jogging further ahead of Kuwabara an Botan. "So, you'll be meeting that girl tomorrow night," Kurama mused. "You must be pretty serious about her, then."<p>

Hiei growled slightly. "Knock it off, Kurama. Stop that bad habit of yours while you're at it."

"Bad habit?" his friend questioned innocently. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Making something out of nothing. It's not becoming. Yes, I'm meeting this girl, but that's it."

"Meeting," Kurama said with a nod before smiling, "and also buying her ticket."

He ignored the heated glare his friend gave hims and continued to run. "Sometimes I really hate you, Kurama."

"Why buy her ticket if you just hope to be friends with her? Why not just plan to meet at a mutual place like a library or park?"

Hiei would never hear the end of it from his friend if he told him that "Rocker Girl" loved 80's music and he wanted to meet her doing something she enjoyed. He knew that technically this was a date, but he didn't care. He just wanted to meet her. Instead of responding to Kurama's musings, he ran faster, quickly pulling away from the redhead.

Kurama wore the faintest smile as he chuckled. _Yes, _he thought to himself, _I think he likes her._

* * *

><p>After school, Hiei reluctantly waited for Botan at the building entrance. He still couldn't believe he was paired with the vibrant girl. Now he would have to suffer through meeting at her house. "Oh, you waited," she said, stating the obvious as she exited. "Good. So let's head to my house, shall we?" It's not far at all." The brooding teen didn't say anything as they walked side by side.<p>

Surprisingly Botan remained fairly quiet aside from showing him roads that led to popular hangouts for the people of their school. He was learning the lay of the land, and that was something for which he was thankful. He only hoped he wouldn't have to stay at her house long.

"That's Keiko's house next door." Botan pointed to the plain, white house that looked similar to her own. Hiei couldn't help but wonder how none of these people ever got lost if all the homes looked the same. He didn't respond as he watched her open her own door, and he didn't know what to expect when he entered. When he got inside, he was definitely shocked.

He had somewhat been expecting perfection, everything being in a set place that looked immaculate and clean and white. With the way she carried herself at school, it was hard to imagine her living in anything remotely close to what he was seeing. The house was neat and clean, but there were subtle hints that she and her family lived in slight disarray. There was a tall pill of mail on the coffee table with opened envelops and lose papers strewn in random spots on the loveseat. An empty ice cream bowl sat on the table near the remote while the couch was covered by an unfolded, wrinkled blanket.

"Sorry about the mess," Botan stated. "Yesterday I was out of it and fell asleep on the couch. Mom's usually here when I get home on Wednesdays, so I thought it'd be taken care of since I didn't get the chance this morning. I guess she got called into one of her other jobs. Explains why the mail is everywhere. Could I offer you a snack or something to drink?"

Her guest was reluctant to answer her, but he managed to grunt out, "I'm fine. Let's just get this over with."

Hiei just caught the slight frown that appeared on her face before she covered it up with her cheerfulness. "Right. I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas for our first project. Let's head up to my room."

* * *

><p>The two of them ascended the stairs and entered her room. It faced the front of the house. She has a platform windowsill she could sit on and see the outside world pass by. Beside the window was a white desk covered in books, folders, and different writing utensils. Hiei was expecting a bright-colored room with frilly stuffed animals, but the room mostly had blue, black, and white colors and few stuffed animals. The walls were bare save for a few music posters and decorations. She also had a stereo sound system and a small guitar-shaped CD rack on her nightstand. Hiei didn't linger on that since he really didn't care about her taste in music.<p>

_She's probably the type to sing those preppy, radio songs in the shower, _he inwardly mused. Truthfully, it didn't matter to him. It amazed him how much he needed to remind himself he didn't care about this girl. He was more curious. He just didn't understand how any one person could be so happy all the time.

Botan took out a folding chair and put it beside hers at her desk. She patted the surface to silently invite Hiei to join her. _This is going to be a long afternoon._

"So," Botan started to say, "we pretty much have free reign with this project, so I say we pick a topic we both like. I'm up for anything regarding music and animals. What about you?"

Hiei was trying to ignore her, so she continued to chatter on. "Come on, Hiei," she sighed. "You can at least try to participate. I don't want you to have to work on something you don't enjoy."

Why she cared about his enjoyment, he had no clue. It was just a stupid project, the first project. Hiei didn't even really like biology. His forte was English composition, not any type of science. That was more of his sister's thing. Whatever topic this girl was going to pick, he was positive he'd hated it. His opinion didn't matter.

He answered her with a shrug before taking out his lighter. The lighter belonged to his father. He hated the man for leaving his mother in a shitty situation, but the lighter was the only link he had to the man. As he was about to do, Hiei would sometimes take it out and ignite it watching the small flame for a moment before he allowed it to fizzle out. He would repeat that action multiple times. It served him as some kind of strange calming mechanism.

Botan was writing ideas down trying to ignore her partner who continued to treat her like she didn't exist. Silently, she fumed. She couldn't understand why he was not only ignoring her but also refusing to help her come up with ideas. The clicking of his lighter was also starting to wear on her nerves. "Do you mind?" he asked as calmly and lightly as possible. "I really just want to come up with a project idea and then we'll be done for the day."

Hiei stopped playing with the lighter letting the flame disappear for a final time as he answered her. "I don't give a crap on our project. Choose whatever the hell you want and leave me be. Most likely, no matter what you choose, I won't be of much help anyway."

The way that sounded to Botan made her stomach drop. "Are you saying you're expecting me to do the whole project?" She sounded so shocked and hurt. It sounded strange coming from her.

Hiei didn't answer her at all. He hadn't meant for it to sound like he was being as lazy as the girl who demanded Botan's time. Getting nervous, he simply went back to messing with the lighter. "If that's what you want," Botan said sadly, "then you may as well leave. I'll figure out something for the project and text you the idea later. Just leave me your number and go."

Hiei didn't need to be told twice as he quickly scratched his number on a notepad she had and then stormed out of her room. She could hear him slam the front door to her house and watched him walk down the street alone. The blue-haired teen shook her head and fought back her tears as she circled one of the ideas she had. She then grabbed a pair of pajamas, which for her was sweats and a t-shirt, before she headed to the bathroom. She as in need of a nice, long, hot shower to clear her head.

* * *

><p>As she returned to her room, towel-drying her hair, Botan plopped back into her desk chair. The warm shower had done her some good. She left the towel around her neck as she sat at her desk. She decided to sign onto the chat account and instantly received a message from "Pryo."<p>

_How good are you at biology and do you have any ideas for a project?_

Botan smiled slightly before frowning, remembering Hiei's abrupt exit. _Actually yeah. I've been thinking of project ideas all day for my own project. What's up?_

_I've been partnered with that girl I told you about, _he replied. _We had to come up with a topic and I'm no good with science. My sister was always good with that crap._

_Ah, the writer of the family, _Botan mused with a smile on her face. _I almost forgot about that. Anyways, it's good that you're asking for help and trying to do you share._

_I just don't want her bitching at me for it or giving me that hurt puppy look like she did tonight, _"Pyro" countered. _It was so annoying. And it's not like I wanted to bring attention to the fact that I have no idea what I'm doing to a complete stranger._

* * *

><p><em>Aren't I a complete stranger?<em>

Hiei contemplated how to respond. _Not for long, Rocker Girl. Tomorrow will change that._

_True...Anyways, it's nice that you want to help your partner. My teacher assigned me to be partners with that boy. I think he expects that I'm going to do this project alone._

Hiei frowned. He remembered how Botan had reacted when she accused him of doing the same thing. Normally, he wasn't one to feel guilt, but he had felt something close to it. After seeing how their other classmates demanded her to do their work, Hiei didn't want to do the same. Though he hadn't implied it to "Rocker Girl," she had picked up on it.

_Unlike you're partner, _he started to type, _I believe in pulling my own weight. I just don't want people I don't know or want to know to know more about my struggles, even in a stupid school subject._

_I understand, _"Rocker Girl" replied. _I barely tell my friends anything. Like, they know my father is kind of MIA, but they don't know about how I deal with it on a daily basis. I never even want to bother them with my problems, let alone strangers._

Hiei grimaced as he read the screen. _Please tell me there's someone you talk to other than me about this stuff._

_My mom. Sometimes my grandmother. Other than you, that's about it._

Hiei felt relieved that "Rocker Girl" at least talked to someone. He had his sister and, for what he couldn't confide in her, he had Kurama. Plus there was Shiori, but as his therapist, it was kind of different. The reason he told her anything was because she couldn't tell anyone, not even his mother, unless what he had to say implied danger to himself or others. That meant he could never call him a gangster around her. No, only Kurama knew if his suspicions.

_I'm glad you have someone, at least, _he replied. _And I'm always here too._

_Thanks._

After a few minutes of not knowing what to say, "Rocker Girl" added, _I need to get to work on this project. Anyway, what I would suggest for a biology project is something low key, especially for a first project. Maybe do something with plants. A project I was thinking of was the effects of rock music on plant growth. Control would be classical._

_Why am I not surprised that you incorporated rock music into project? _Hiei asked while smirking.

_Well, seeing as I'm not that open about my love for rock music at school, I need to get it during the day somehow, _his friend joked.

_You still never told me why you hide it, _Hiei remarked.

_That's a story for another day, _"Rocker Girl" returned. _For now, I have some work to do. I need to start writing up this report._

_If I were you, I'd throw this guy under the bus._

_Nah, I'll give him another chance. He could still be adjusting._

_You might be giving him too much credit._

_Maybe...anyways, night Pyro. I can't wait to meet you tomorrow!_

Hiei smirked. _Same Rocker Girl. I look forward to it._

* * *

><p>Botan grinned as she shut down the computer. She really couldn't wait for the concert or to meet her friend. It was amazing that they seemingly lived pretty close to each other. She would finally have a friend who knew pretty much everything she was trying to hide.<p>

She decided to get back to work on the project so that she and Hiei wouldn't fall behind. It reminded her to text him about the project ideas.

**Hey, I figured out the idea for our project, **she texted.

She got almost an immediate reply. **Don't bother, **he responded. **I have an idea too. We can exchange tomorrow.**

Botan smiled when he said he had an idea. So he really hadn't expected her to do all the work on her own. "Hiei, you are one tough nut to crack," she joked to herself, letting out a small laugh. "I think we'll be great friends."


End file.
